This is Trium

Elf, wolf or surprise... elf, wolf or surprise... Wolves had too much fur to bite through with little fangs...

The simple train of thought concerning dinner was cut off abruptly. A large shadow crossed her vision, unfamiliar in both shape and scent to Maeren who stood mid-step staring at the front of the building that creature had disappeared into.

It was Dredlin, therefore there was really no way to tell was sort of thing it was. There seemed to be a feast going on inside the building, according to the stream of horrific sounds reaching Maeren's ears, but no matter how pitiful or grotesque the noise was, the scent of blood and weakness made her hunger more obvious, more obstinate. Impossible to just ignore.

Should she run? Should she investigate and save the poor victim? ... Maybe she could find an opportunity to feed upon the feeding creature while it was distracted with its meal. Too many choices, and she was not fond of any of them.


So the indecisive girl just drifted closer to the scene without monitoring her actions, too conflicted to think about anything other than being conflicted. And the hunger was still growing like a monstrous weed, craving blood of any kind without preference. It was when she had no preference in type of blood, she had learned long ago, that bad things happened once she finally fed. Pickiness at least pointed to something vaguely human, but craving blood in general was just primal and unthinking. Perhaps she should just forget herself for a bit and relax--

Again the train of thought was interrupted, this time by the sights and scents in front of her. One massive shadow was completely unmoving, no breath fueling its life, and its blood stinking up the dusty air. Through the darkness and dust, she could make out only enough detail to be glad she could not see the entire scene clearly. She hoped that it was a trick of her eyes that made her believe the thing was spiked and eyeless... After staring blankly at the dead thing with her mouth hanging open and unconsciously drooling, Maeren turned her eyes to the second creature that seemed to be the victor of the struggle.

This one was not so unfamiliar. True, it was not a thing she would see every day, or even every month, but it was not so deformed a thing as the corpse it was huddled over. Even so, the fact that this one had won made it automatically a harder target, one that should have come across as more intimidating but didn't.

Not that she wanted to provoke this one even if it appeared to be less terrifying than the eyeless beast. She was still drooling though, having the scent of blood bombard her for the past thirty seconds. It made her reckless, that smell. Though she could not see herself she knew that the whites of her eyes would be filling in with bright orange, giving away her eagerness to pacify the constant nagging hunger.

Dead, drained corpses were about as appetizing as a foodstuff as urine was as a drink. That is, not at all. Starving vampires may not have preferences, but they have standards when they could afford them. Could she afford those standards, though, if the consequences of standards were potentially death?

Maeren took several steps closer to both dark forms, eyes as orange as tangerines. It was impossible to tell which direction they were looking in, but the girl seemed to be having difficulties making a decision on which creature she wanted to invite to dinner. It was obvious through her scent that soon it would not matter; her hunger was nearly strong enough to override her sensibilities.
 
This be Jace
This be Axel



Jace leaned over the table with his fingers wrapped loosely around a long neck bottle. His long white hair hung over his face, as his gray eyes stared into the bottle. Axel often made fun of him for that, asking if the answer to life was somewhere at the bottom of the bottle. The white haired night elf gripped the bottle and knocked back the last bit of beer. He felt like travelling soon. But to where, he had no idea. He wanted to get away from Dredlin. At least for a short while. Probably for somewhere else more... well somewhere he could live his life without having to look over his shoulder so often.

Settling the now empty bottle onto the bar with a dull thunk, made near inaudible under the loud thumping of the music, he motioned to the bartender for another one. He was on his fifth bottle, if he recalled correctly. His high alcohol tolerance was something to feared. Even so, Axel had been more than idiotic to challenge the man into a continuous round of drinking. Of course the buffoon lost on every occasion but it was...interesting....to say the least, to see how much Axel could take before passing out.

Speaking of which, Axel was somewhere out in the city, probably hunting for the sheer fun of it. He had met Axel on his second day of coming to Dredlin. At first, the other elf seemed soft spoken and an easy target. But after saving Jace's hide from some of the less than friendly fiends of the city, he had to review his misconception. Although he never asked for the other elf's company, Axel seemed to stick around. Almost like background noise and would be noticed if gone from sight.

Jace took the new bottle and opened it with his bare thumb and taking a sip.




Axel loved running. It was something he always did as a child and would continue to do. He had gotten used to Dredlin's misshapen buildings and they made his reaction time to precarious footholds quite remarkable.

With a grunt, he pushed off the side of a dilapidated house, avoiding the shoddy attempt of attack from a wild wolf. He contemplated giving it a tiny little stab with his Fleur De Lis but thought better of it. Besides, he went an entire three hours without nagging Jace to death.

Jace Vee, the guy's name was. Met him nearly three years back when the guy stumbled across Dredlin. Saved the poor guy's arse from being mauled. It wasn't intentional by any means, but he couldn't let a new face get cracked from mutants and wild animals. Axel had a heart after all.

The white haired night elf landed in the middle of the street and doubled back, going for the one club he knew Jace would go to. Axel found himself scaling the face of a building and once again above the city buildings. Dredlin was, in short, a land of mass destruction. Not creative enough? Well, he figured Dredling just looked like a model of a post apocalyptic city.

Axel snorted. Well that's what it was, but people got the general idea. He loved fighting in the fog around the city. It gave him a rush like no other.

Afterlife was a busy club. Extoic dancers, good music, epic whiskey and wine (the illegal stuff of course) and most of all, the awesome food those people served up. Axel dismounted the club's roof and waltzed on in. The night elf weaved his way through the crowd, resisting the urge to just bounce off the walls. It would have been fun, but it went against his and Jace's code of Finesse. Speaking of the devil himself,...

Axel caught sight of familiar silver hair and grinned.



[Summary: Jace is drinking at the bar. He tells of how he met Axel. Axel is running around like a tamed lunatic. He muses on how he ran across Jace. He then enters the club and finds his awesome buddy. 'S'all I got till things start to fire up :P]
 
Jasson could feel the blood of the mutated creature flowing through his veins. Feeding his thirst for blood, a deep feeling of self-resentment washed over him. Soon the odd transformation that took place when he fed would happen again. Cells were changing, the original mutant cells in the blood he drank were taken over and replaced with Jasson's own not unlike a viral infection. Every beat of his heart pumped the new blood into every inch of his body. Last time he had fed this heavily, the transformation happened simultaneously across his entire body. For just a moment he felt a throbbing at his temples before it spread like wildfire. Pain started to make his muscles spasm as his physical features started to morph right before Maeren's very eyes.

Here we go again. . .

Clawed feet with three 'toes' started to divide into five smaller toes. Jasson staggered away wildly from the mutant's corpse on a twisted path, his lengthy hair an ebony serpent slithering through the air. Hands with only two large clawed fingers and a thumb balled into fists from the pain of dividing into five much more slender and dexterous digits. Spikes which covered some of his upper body sank back down into the flesh as though they had never existed. Falling to his knees the large leathery wings on his back flapped frantically as his powerful tail thrashed around to further destroy the ruined old card shop. Agonized expressions warped his monstrous face as it was re-sculpted into something else entirely. Though between the shadows and his hair it was hard to make out his face at all. Both black horns vanished into his skull, leaving only the smooth basalt colored skin which covered his entire body.

Finally it ended.
Now the vampiric gargoyle rose up slowly, staggering backward a few steps until his tail helped to balance him. Lengthy black hair hung in front of his face and obscured it from view. Wings expanded to their full wingspan, they slowly dropped down before folding over themselves across his chest to create a sort of cloak. Jasson stood there in silence for a few moments before sniffing the air. Suddenly he remembered that there had been another nearby. She was watching him? Probably just watching him. . . waiting for a chance to feed as all those vampire parasites did. Himself included of course. A lone hand rose up to move the hair from his face, revealing it to Maeren.

humanguy4.jpg
 
Sereg paused for a moment as the woman told him the other man was lucky he had not come, and that he had been spared. Sereg usually wasn't the kind to fear a creature of the night, but this woman, this beast of seduction was intriguing in a way that scared him. Sereg sighed softly as the woman then stated that he could come with only if he wished. He nodded quietly to himself, this was a trip he needed more than wanted. To unlock the secrets behind the shadows of this woman.
And then she offered a dance. Everything the doll said after that Sereg barely heard through the fog his face had settled in. Sereg hadn't danced in ages, not since he had danced with his kings wife on their wedding day.
Slowly pacing over to her, he gently took her hand in his and as smoothly as breathing had his hand gently on her waist after setting her hand on his armorer shoulder. His red hair flowed around his body as he swept her to in fro as if a masquerade was being held in their honor. Perhaps this isn't the type of dancing she meant.
As the thought hit him he stumbled ever so slightly but pulled the near trip into a dip, leaning her slim body over his arm and gently laying his hand on her leg lifting it slightly so her body leaned back with perfection. Bringing her back to her own feet he gently turned her body in a small circle and as she swept back towards him he pulled her in close.
Feeling as if he had accomplished too much and too little at the same time he released her body and leaned down kissing her hand. Stepping back once again he leaned over in a small bow. Standing in a crowd of dancers his face returned to it's stoic look and his red shadows swelled around his body like a fog of hatred. Staring at the ground he looked through the shadows trying to find the doll.
As he glanced back up to the woman a small smirk ran across his stoic face. His voice came to him again and he had to clear his throat
"So it seems you know my name. But I have no idea what to call you? Also where are we headed?"
'I've spoke more in the last five minutes than in the last 15 years.' He thought to himself. As the smirk returned to the shadows whence it came he breathed roughly unsure what the woman would now do. And if this dance had been anything she'd expected. He hoped she realized he was going with her. Looking around the room quickly Sereg checked to make sure no one else was bothering them.


​
Indigo watched as the man and woman walked off into the crowd for a dance. Sighing heavily he looked back to where his sister sat on the oppisite side. "This night has gone to the dogs, and I say that gently." Katana flipped her finger towards him letting him know to come to her. As he made his way around the crowd to her she pulled him into the booth across from hers. She quietly pointed at the Vampire and the girl and large mech standing in front of them. "Well they aren't the people we're looking for, but they're all headed to Fae for some reason. Or at least they're trying to head there. If we can offer them protection we might get just as much money as the other deal." Katana made the face she usually made when coming up with one of her crazy plans to make money. Indigo sighed and shook his head, "Fine I'll ask." Standing suddenly so his sister couldn't stop him her face turned to one of shocked anger and he smirked sarcastically at her as he passed. Stepping up to the girl, but making sure to stay far enough away not to startled her mech protector he spoke, "Excuse me miss? My sister couldn't help but overhear your plea of help. We don't think you should use or skills alone, the kind man here probably has a better knowledge of a short route to Fae. We merely offer our protection, in exchange for a small sum of cash.My sister and I have survived on our knowledge of travel and wares so getting you to Fae safe, well fed and warm would be our greatest honor. And I'm sure the man your asking for help would be more than willing to show us the best way." Indigo leaned over in a bow on honor first to the woman and then to the man, the man he well knew was a vampire but didn't really care. He smiled his best smile and nodded to the girl.
"Please take your time in deciding, we'll be waiting in the booth right here." He then turned around and sat right next to his sister. She smiled but pinched his arm.
 
Surprise. Apparently dinner would be the surprise option, because the longer Maeren waited to feed, the weaker her inner arguments became against eating whatever creature passed by. And no other creature was around but the oddity in front of her at the moment, so the oddity would have to suffice for dinner.

She inhaled deeply, sneezed loudly at so much dust. So it wasn't an oddity, after all. Well, it was, but it wasn't a surprise one anymore after scenting it. Gargoyles and vampires had both crossed her path several times, but this was the first time she had smelled both on one being. The first time both were one being, because that was the only explanation for how one scent smelled of both things. Not that she really cared, or feared, at the moment; obviously her right mind was nowhere to be found. All she did was stand there ten steps from the thrashing creature and observe the-- What was it she was seeing, anyways? Bright eyes calmly followed the dark silhouette, marveling when she saw the process of a gargoyle's foot changing into a normal one. In her state of mind there was no way to understand why a gargoyle-vampire beast was suddenly turning into a more vampiric form of a man. Curiosity and hunger stirred even more, urging Maeren to inch several steps closer.

Something lashed out wildly, almost clipping her in the nose. Normally this would have called for a squeak-and-retreat, but this side of Maeren just dropped into a crouch, dispersing her weight onto both hands and feet, ready to jump one way or another to escape. Or attack. She was still arguing on which to choose. She could have attacked. This transformation must have been painful if the jerking from here to there was anything to read into, and creatures in pain were either very dangerous or very vulnerable. In this case, he could only be vulnerable with the bending and splintering of bone and flesh. It would have been so easy...

A tiny sliver of humanity must have still clung to her and glued her in place as a harmless observer, though. That is, until he spread his wings. Even prepared to dodge attacks, she hadn't been paying attention to his wings, so they startled her. She ended up flat on her can, sitting on the dusty floor until the thing --the man?-- in front of her stopped twisting and stood up straight, still and seemingly calm. Her pulse began to fly after sensing the possible danger, effectively silencing her human half for now.

Now this was an unsavory situation, being sprawled on the ground while your prey stands above you. Maeren couldn't see his face, so perhaps he hadn't seen her just yet. Perhaps she still had the advantage of surprise over this prey. Quietly as possible she gathered her feet under her, her toes scraping through dust and debris until she was in the perfect position to launch herself at his throat that was very inconveniently hidden behind a curtain of black hair. As a predator, there was nothing worse than having your target point hidden, forcing you to guess where to sink in your fangs.

Actually, there was something worse than that. Having your prey turn and stare at you was fairly detestable when the element of surprise was your largest advantage.

A childish, perplexed expression seemed misplaced on Maeren's face when everything about her screamed 'predator', from her eyes to her fangs to the position of her body. But she, even as a predator, stalled in making a decision, thus the strange face. Her eyes fixated on his neck, on his wrist, anywhere blood would flow thick enough to satisfy her. Making a decision wasn't such a conscious effort after that vision in her head. With the element of surprise lost, she realized she would have to take a random risk and change her tactic based on the outcome.

For now, her only thought was to get closer. Maeren rose to her feet quicker than she had meant to, but her steps were cautious and slow as she neared her next meal, waiting until she got a reaction to finally lunge for the throat or fight until she could.
 
Impending bloodlust no longer motivated Jasson. Until the cursed thirst returned again anyway. Satisfied as he was it did not leave him vulnerable in some sort of afterglow torpor. On the contrary, it left him completely aware with a sense of clarity only true omniscience could surpass. Aware of everything around him, especially the half-vampire girl ready to take his blood right after he had just fed himself. Vicious cycles such as these were all too common in Dreadlin. Bloodlust for vampires left them drunken berserkers who could barely show a shred of compassion. Killers of anything that would satisfy their thirst which even then was fated a temporary solution to an eternal problem. Traitors until that blood drank from their loved ones restored them to sanity. . . only to mourn what they had done. Well, the ones with any humanity remaining at least.

Jasson appeared completely motionless to the naked eye.

A veritable statue with his basalt skin that harbored well-sculpted muscles underneath, not even his eyeballs moved in their sockets to track Maeren. Only his rich raven black hair swayed in the slightest. Jasson figured that he likely had this young half-breed beaten in terms of years of experience. Then again appearances were deceiving when it came to vampires. He understood that concept rather well. How else could he explain what happened when he fed? It certainly was not a willful desire to transform painfully. The 'infection' kept trying to change him into something else that would blend in easier than a Gargoyle. Blood certainly fitting of a truly parasitic predator. Yet when he starved it of fresh blood to feed on he would start reverting back to his natural appearance. Jasson had come to theorize that much after two decades of leading such an agonizingly cursed existence.

Take your best shot girl. . . the worst you could do at this point is kill me.

His opponent had the first move.
 
It wasn't right. Something just wasn't right.

Maeren halted four steps short, bare toes gripping the floor, this time determined not to be knocked down for her carelessness. She had to slow herself down, stare at what would hopefully be dinner soon enough, trying to find any movement at all to which to react. There was nothing. Why wasn't he moving? Prey, when aware of the predator, always knew that they were prey. And prey would either stay and fight or tuck tail and run. Yet this one did nothing.

It really... really wasn't right. Was it because he was somewhat a vampire? Sure, it wasn't as appetizing a meal as say... a unicorn -- those were delicious, but it was jolting to wake up next to the corpse of one-- but she was a half-breed. She did not give a damn what the blood tasted like right now, so there must have been something else giving her second thoughts.

Now she was annoyed. Paranoia always pissed her off when she was starving, because there really was no time to calculate your every move when your humanity was melting off of you every second you wasted. Paranoia was the reason behind those blackouts where she woke up next to a mutilated corpse, soaked in two different bloods, covered in wounds, beautifully, graciously, wonderfully satiated and full of energy. Paranoia was the ugliest and most dangerous thing to a half breed, but it had saved her life time and time again. Even at the cost of another life.

She didn't do a thing just yet. Just watched him, running options through her clouded mind. At least it wasn't completely black yet. Even if the human Maeren was asleep, the abomination Maeren wasn't yet blinded with hunger, but time was running out quickly the longer she stayed frozen from paranoia and confusion. If this prey was truly worthy of such instinctive fear, then this was not a battle she would win. Not easily, at least. There weren't many victims that made her feel like she would die if she attacked them. Even the largest, foulest beasts... But they were dumb and clumsy, really no match for a fleet-footed raging vampire. This one, though, seemed to be daring her to attack him.

Like he knew she would lose.

Arrogance had no place in this fight. It wasn't the time to be showing a predator just how unafraid you are of her.

She couldn't stand it anymore. She had to do something. Two steps to the side... one step forward, all painfully slow when she wanted nothing more than to rush and push herself into complete insanity. Those steps placed her dead in front of this ridiculous prey, much too close to stand without attacking had she been completely lost. She was glad she moved slow before, just then. Still, her hands shook with the effort to stay at her sides instead of on his neck. She knew her claws were short but just formidable enough to-- No. She shut down that thought mercilessly. There was something else she wanted to do, and fantasizing about a delicious meal would not help a bit. Maeren inhaled, steeling her nerves, and spoke.

"You... could probably kill me if I tried to feed off of you. Is that why you aren't moving? Waiting to kill me?"

Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. The scratchy quality said that she hadn't spoken in a while, and it was obvious that she was forcing the pitch to stay level. She spoke in a lower voice than usual; it was all she could use, but it was still notably childlike.

"I just want to eat. Don't you know what it's like, not eating for weeks? When human food can't fix you any more, only makes you sicker?" She paused, opening and closing her fists anxiously. "I wasn't going to kill you... Don't kill me."

Such an honest plea in a similar situation had once earned her pity, but she had still been left without dinner. Could it work again? At the same time... she refused to be left unfed. She would argue until she had no other choice, or until something weaker came along. But for now she refused to move, almost refused to think, in fear of losing her grip.
 
Silence came in response to her pleas for what must have felt no less than an eternity to the Dhampire.

"And could you control yourself once you started to feed? Your body betrays your good intentions."

Jasson completely ignored her question as to why he hardly moved. Now only his mouth moved, not even turning his head or twitching his tail. Without looking directly at her the vampiric gargoyle witnessed an immense amount of hesitation on her part. Kindness played no real part in her pleas as far as he was concerned. Fear kept her from attacking him directly right now. . . plain and simple. What else could override the bloodlust which clearly gnawed away at her morality at this very moment? Paranoia which annoyed her so much gave away her entire situation. A true threat to him would never try to bargain and plea with him unless it feared his outright strength or his tactical prowess.

"I think you would have tried to kill me already. . . if you thought you could get away with it. Murder and a meal is the vampire's dinner and a show."

No matter what she replied with, he waited a few moments after she finished only to ask a simple question. One that would heavily impact his treatment of Maeren. Every fiber of his being wanted to tear her apart and end the parasitic existence she lived. Hatred burned within him for all who were vampire. Even just a half-breed. Jasson only endured it to gain an opportunity at revenge. More than likely, once his fallen clan was avenged. . . he would take his own life. Though such a 'noble' characteristic remained to be seen. Especially of a creature that spent most of his time stalking from the shadows.

"Were you born this way or are you a victim?"
 
Vexrei's features had begun to smile,her eyes lacing with unspeakable excitement.The ever so brilliant eyes capturing his own as he took her hand,feeling the gentle touch of his hand taking her's before setting the other upon her waist after placing it on his geared shoulder.She never did expect such a formal dance to be ensued tonight,in truth the desire to kill was calmed within her ,coming to a slumber within with something anew rising.As her hand set on his shoulder she could feel the coldness of the metal beneath her soft hands, oh the wind breaking delight that flowed through her as the dance began to ensue between them.Sereg swayed her gracefully ,her hair lifting and swinging with the air being created from their waltz.Vexrei was enjoying his leading manner, she smiled warmly to him even as he stumbled a bit but he recovered without a flaw in his movement, being leaned over his arm, and lifted her leg. The sensual action only served to perk her curiosity of this man, he brought her back up and twirled her, the air caressing her frame and tickling her skin.This dancing conjuring a new urge within as he pulled her to him with such elegance. As he let her go he kissed her hand ,she stared down at him with beatific on her face.In her stimulated fascination of him in such small time.This Sereg had caught her attention when others did not,it was not just the dancing it was something more that even her cold heart could not explain,something about him felt familiar..almost comforting in a twisted way.

There was a sly grin on his face when she peered at him yet again while he cleared his throat.She crossed her arms over her chest and purred as he spoke with his deepened voice,"The letter mentioned you,darling.Ah, how rude and distasteful of me...I am known as Vexrei Bluerose.And we are going to Fae...It seems there is someone who needs a taste of castration.." Her lips cooed lightly to him, the word castration sounding more seductive than threatening as it should. Her nature revealing it's self to new desires."Now come,play with this fiend of the dark before the night ends.."A moment of enchantment was thrown toward him, as she gestured him to come closer.No dance ends so quickly with her and now that there was a man in front of her who danced so beautifully she let into the desire.With a sly smile she began slowly, her hips pulling themselves in a circular motion while her arms reached over her light locks snaking themselves through the air searching for her prey...to enchant.Her eyes never leaving his ,swaying ,her hips undulating as if by their own accord...captivating...onyx lashes sweeping the rosy skin of her cheeks as they flutter down over bright eyes...satin lips parting ever so slightly.She wanted to dance and dance she would, unwilling and reluctant to stop her movements...her mind clouded at the sound of the exotic music humming in her ears.There was nothing to stop her at this point, this atmosphere was getting to her,her duty could wait for the moment..she was in no rush..never in a rush.Vex was feeling like she needed something,like she had to have it. A hunger growing deep within,was she experiencing hunger? Possibly...she hadn't drained anyone in a while but that wasn't her focus. Miss Bluerose would get what she wants, she couldn't ignore the need to dance.But why would a fiend like her be so possesed by dance and music...like she was a slave to noone but the beats of the music.
 
She thought he must have been doing it on purpose, taking so long just to test her control. It was testing her, quite cruelly. Unlike the creature she still hoped would become dinner, Maeren was constantly making the tiniest movements, always switching her weight from one foot to the other, twidling her fingers, tapping her toes against the floor. It felt as if the food was playing with her instead of her playing with her food. Finally he spoke.

"I think you would have tried to kill me already. . . if you thought you could get away with it. Murder and a meal is the vampire's dinner and a show."

"No," she denied immediately. "No. Monsters kill and feast with enjoyment. I am just a predator that is right between reasonable and blind with hunger. But never a monster. I don't like to kill."

Maeren had much more to say, but the scent of blood was drilling away at her attempts to stay a reasonable predator so for the moment she clamped her mouth shut and waited for another answer. It was hard, clinging to sanity when insanity was just one thought away. Had she imagined the taste of blood on her tongue, the scent of fear, the ecstasy that would fill her when she finally fed... had she thought about those things, she would have stepped wholly into insanity.

"Were you born this way or are you a victim?"
Were there really red spots in her vision, or was she seeing things? Her face looked like all the color was being washed from it, her chest rising and falling much too quickly for someone standing still, not sprinting in a marathon. It actually took her a few minutes to answer his question, for she felt the need to distance herself for some reason, and took two agonizingly slow, wobbly steps backwards.

"Elf; I was elf and human. Before the Glassing. Mother was human, she's gone, never knew a father," she spat out in one breath.

Now all she could do was stand completely still, looking outside in the hopes that something would pass that she could safely attack without fear of being killed.

"Why... can't they figure out that half-demons never kill from draining a person dry... that we can't contain that much blood just like we can't survive solely on human food? They never help, they all think once we start we can't stop, but the truth is we only kill because of their paranoia, keeping us from functioning like humans... And so we're left like this. And you must be one of them, even though you just killed."

It hurt, now. It hurt like claws all over, begging her to move and do something, anything, about the terrible emptiness in her gut that had her at its mercy. But she didn't want to die, and if she didn't die she would end up killing this person. She didn't want either of those things. What would happen to her, though, if she just endured? This was almost the longest she had denied herself from the easy insanity. Last time she had stayed in control this long, the only one around had been a child... that was the one time she had gone so long and succeeded. Plenty of others were not so lucky as the child.
 
As the wyvern and the elf spoke, Rain found her face grew flushed. Rain looked down at the marbled rock beneath her and tossed her foot across it back and forth a few times, her hair falling over her face gently hiding her rosie cheeks, warm with embarrassment. Even through all these years she was still so meek, and so easily embarressed. She kicked herself at the thought. She had by all means not meant for them to rush into the situation at hand. She had only wanted a noble show of hands so to speak, as to who would join her in the matter. She had learned long ago that being hasty was never wise. She then decided to leave the thought be and thank them for thier help. Then she agreed that they shouldn't rush, but should formulate a plan of action. Her face returned to its normal shade. They seemed noble enough in the light that both of them had agreed to help her. The elf was very formal, as he was always useing proper palace ettiqute. Although inside she wished he wouldn't. Somehow, as she stood there looking at him, she felt he wished the same. There was more to him than met the eye.
The wyvern, who she found to be called Hwarv, and all the things he could see, from the sound of it, was legendary. A truly unique creature with abilities beyond the "normal". She was greatful he was willing to help. She was greatful for both of them to be truthful. Yes, this would be quite the adventure, she thought. Hopefully they would be able to figure out what this horrible creature was and why it was doing all of this. And to hopefully find some way of stopping it, although deep inside Rain had a feeling that it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to do so. Regardless she knew they must try. She then saw out of the corner of her eye, a small fairy. It flew up to them and asked the reason for their gathering. Rain decided small creatures might be wise to bring along. They could often go unseen and as Hwarv had said, would probably be of little or no intrest to the creature. She then welcomed the fairy and filled her in on what the wyvern had seen. That the life sucking creature was what they were discussing and how they were planning to learn more about it, and hopefully stop it. She then addressing Hwarv and the elf said, "Perhaps what we could do is have Hwarv take Eula or you" she nodded towards the pale elf "and track the creature carefully. Then as soon as you know it's whereabouts fly back here and let us know where it is located. We need to keep tabs on it and learn everything there is to know about it first. I'd say it's feeding habits and how and where it moves would be a start. What do each of you think?" Rain then turned gently back to the elf who stood slightly taller than her, and politely asked,"Could I ask your name? I have yet to catch it." Rain smiled sweetly.
 

As Rain spoke, Tantris closed his eyes, feeling vaguely useless. Hwarv and Eula could easily track the beast by flying after it, though it would be easier if they hurried, since the beast got farther and farther away every second that they wasted here discussing. Tantris had half a mind to say so, to note that the plan ought to be enacted soon or they would lose their chance to do so. However, before he could voice his opinions, Rain turned to him and asked his name.

Flustered instantly, since he hadn't had his name asked of him since he was a child, Tantris straightened his posture again, placing his right arm across his waist and lowering his upper body in a formal bow. With his head tilted downwards and his eyes on the ground, he could think with more ease and he felt less anxious about whether his words would be correct.

"My name is Nimore, my lady. Tantris Nimore. We can plan the course of action that we will take after they report. Whether one or both will spy, that's not my concern, but they must hurry if they are to catch the creature. We do not know how far the abomination will wander." Taking a deep breath, Tantris was pleased that he did not stumble at all on the words at all. Lifting his head once more, Tantris shifted his gaze back and forth between the wyvern and the griffin.

Rain's assessment was true, the wyvern was an impressive with a unique talent if what it said about its sight was true. Tantris was interested in working with the wyvern more, though the prospect of travel was also very tantalizing. He gathered his senses once more and flickered his eyes to stare straight forward once more, watching the wyvern from his peripheral vision.

​
 
[DASH=turquoise]Hwarv smiled, and shuffled his wings. Those that were around him seemed to be reliable and concerned people; he felt he could, after all, trust them. It was their forests and lands at risk. It was worth trying.

He turned his head to the elven man, whose name, if Hwarv had heard right, was Tantris Nimore. He didn't look too heavy. He thought he could carry him along, alright. It would slow him down a little, and it would also fatigue him sooner, but Hwarv didn't think it was much of a problem. The wyvern then turned his head, and looked down at Eula. It looked even less heavy. Hwarv wondered if the puffy griffin would make any difference at all, as weight.

''I would be most pleased to take both of you with me'' he said, finally. ''If the three of us follow the creature, there is one that can come back here and report what we do and find out, and then return to join us or otherwise...''

Hwarv stretched his wings, fully, as he took some steps backwards. Bending his knees and ankles so that his belly almost touched the ground, he looked back again at Tantris, and said, '' Your words are wise, Tantris Nimore. Enough was said. Feel free to join me whenever you are ready. And you, too,'' he added, looking back at Eula. ''Climb on my back''.[/DASH]
 
Nikko sighed softly as the one girl let go of the other. Pointing to herself she quickly typed on her screen again.
"I'm Nikko I work as a guide at the bridge. I was on my way home." She breathed out softly exhausted from the strange encounters all at once. Pointing to the first girl who had tried to attack her she typed again
"I don't know about her or even you but I'm hungry, why don't you two follow me to a local watering hole I know nearby. I'll buy you a couple drinks and we can see about figuring out this mess." She stood slowly dusting off her long metal legs and arms. Smiling as softly as she could she tilted her head hoping the other two wouldn't mind following her.

Eula blinked slowly as she listened to what Tantris had to say. Squeaking softly as Hwarv offered them a ride she turned to Rain. "I'll fly back here if we find Anything I promise." She nuzzled the beautiful elf's cheek gently trying to reassure her. "I'll be back soon. Don't fret I have a feeling this will become crazy soon. And we will all have to do our part. Thank you for coming to my aid so quickly." She licked her friends cheek in a caring gesture and flopped onto the wyverns back. Waiting there for Tantris to join she quickly plucked a feather from her wing. Flying back over quickly she knotted it into her friends blue hair. "Just until I get back," she smiled falsely, glad that her friend wasn't going with. She'd never want her to be harmed and though she had a feeling Rain wanted to do something else to help she'd rather she stay here in case something else came along. Turning to the fairy she nodded. "Please let Rain answer any questions you have." She then flew back to the wyvern and prepared for a journey.

Raxun was suddenly pounded by questions and other people entering his club. Yes HIS club. This night suddenly turned to an uproar of strange encounters. Turning to the young woman who had approached him he smiled softly. "I will gladly take you to Fae seeing as I have also offered this young beauty," he gestured his hand towards Imari, "A guided tour to the same place." Turning sideways to where he was sitting with his legs over the edge of the booth towards the floor he looked around the back of the booth to where the boy had sat with the other girl, "Also I don't know if this kind lady will still offer you pay but seeing as you seem to need it right now I will gladly pay you to help us along." Turning back to the girl and her large companion he sighed.
"I don't know how quickly you need to arrive, nor do I know or need to know your reasons for going but let me meet with a man I know about a ship, and depending on how despretly quick you need to leave we will have transport by very late this evening or very early tomorrow. Depending on how you look at it." He suddenly smiled largely his two top fangs jutting out and as he sensed the boy turning to ask him a question Raxun held his finger in front of the boys uncovered eye.
"An AIR ship." He smiled again and waited for the small girls reply. As he waited he noticed another gentleman enter the bar and quietly watched as he hopped along to his friend at the barside. 'Ah I see Jace and Axel have joined me again. I may need to ask for a few more guards depending on how many other are going to tag along.' He thought as he glanced sideways quickly to the tall beauty and the red shadow dancing in his periphals. 'I have a feeling this night is about to get far more busy.'
 
Jasson listened to the girls words with only half-interest. Never really believing the words that came from Vampires. Even if this girl only had half of their curse. Did she not know what it had been like right after the glassing? Vampires fed without self-control on any they could find with blood. Only machines were safe. He certainly did not remember any of them reaching a limit to the blood they thirsted for so ravenously. Then again. . . perhaps that was why he had been left alive?

I always thought they had left me alive since it was sunrise. Could they actually have a limit? I feed so rarely that I have never tried seeing HOW MUCH I could drink. I never tried to feed from more than one creature per feeding. If I drank more blood would even moreof my Gargoylian features vanish? Then again she is only HALF. . . maybe she is only half as hungry.

Upon accusing him of killing the mutant for no reason, he finally broke his physical stillness completely. Maeren could probably sense his movements even if he was trying to hide it from her. Soon enough he had climbed onto the ceiling in anticipation of her hunger taking hold. Visually he called to mind some sort of reptilian man-bat carved from living stone by a talented artist. Under the eyes of certain beholders he might have even been considered attractive.

"The creature had no real mind. Only instinct and the urge to survive. Unable to be pleaded or negotiated with. Not like what you're trying with me now. Had you faced it just now, Halfling, you would have been forced to kill it as well."

Suddenly the sound of a sewer's manhole cover sliding along the pavement outside filled the streets. Barely even a moment later an unsavory stench struck his nose. No doubt it came from the sewers beneath Dreadlin. Crawling along the ceiling, he moved closer toward the back of the abandoned card shop until he reached the stairwell door. Every building in the city had multiple floors and it appeared that Jasson's goal was to gain higher ground on whatever was emerging from the sewers. Or to simply escape the situation and the halfling girl altogether.

A lone pale orange hand the size of a dinner plate emerged from the hole dripping dark green slime from elongated fingertips. Low moaning echoed as the malformed hand started to pull more of the mysterious creature out from the underground. More and more of the horrifyingly deformed creature came to light. Parts of it were the pale orange of the hand while other bore an eerie resemblance to human flesh. Should the girl try attacking it for food. . . she would be face to face with one of the less fortunate creatures the glassing had forged.

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There it was, that break in sanity she had been holding off. The wretched prey she had been pleading with moved too quickly, and it was the trigger behind her pulse that now was impossibly rapid, her eyes that were suddenly wide open, completely orange, glinting in the dark like a cat's. And it was behind the stance she held now, crouched down and unmoving, waiting for instinct to give her an order.

An order came, but in an unexpected form. A rough grating sound drew her attention to the outside, and suddenly she was standing, watching the manhole and the creature creeping out of it slowly. To a sane being, it was a horrifying and putrid creature, one that induced complete terror and disgust. To a blind predator, it was just a sloppy meal a bit past its expiration date, but still appetizing enough to pursue. It looked slow and weak, but Maeren's eyes locked onto the sharp teeth in its gaping mouth, the fingers long enough to wrap around her waist if they were quick enough. They wouldn't be, she assumed.

It was why she crept over to the beast in the first place; she saw no danger, no threat in its hideous appearance. It was slow. It seemed tired and sluggish. To her eyes, those were the ingredients for an easy win, thus the fearless approach.

Standing fifteen feet from the manhole it was dragging itself out of, Maeren took five seconds to observe her prey's weak points and compare them to her own. Her fangs and claws were only long and sharp enough to barely pierce human skin, and overall she was a small thing that would be easy to snap in half if she had underestimated the mutant's strength. But she was also quick, determined, and recklessly violent in her hunger. The expired meal was very large and had many long, sharp teeth and skin so covered in slime and filth that it would be difficult for Maeren to reach the skin, and that skin may or not turn out to be too thick for her to break without a weapon.

She did have a sort-of weapon. It was old and no longer shiny or sharp, but the knife was all she had, and she knew that with enough force even blunt objects could pierce the skin. It was a mystery, where she had kept it previous to wielding it. Somewhere under her dress, it would seem. One second she was empty handed, and the next her right hand was gripping the knife backwards, the edge facing her wrist as opposed to her fingers.

After those five seconds of observation, Maeren ran for a few steps before taking one flying leap at her prey's right side, aiming to grip onto its deformed and stunted forearm with her right hand. She hoped her momentum would carry her around to its back so she could dig her knife in like a peg, something to insure that she stayed attached to her prey.

It worked until her left hand slid on its forearm just as she was being slung into its back. If she hadn't slammed her knife into its back she would have flown off. As it was, she was forced to dig her fangs through slime and muck to slow herself down. If she was in her right mind she might have gagged at the smell and taste of the beast up close.

She saw victory practically running at her, but that was until her prey turned out to be a little faster than she had imagined. Maybe a lot faster. With a sound like a pained moan and pissed-off shriek all at once, it flailed in rapid circles, trying to rid itself of the parasite on it back. Even with five claws, her fangs, the knife, and her legs all gripping onto it, Maeren still went flying into the wall of a close building after a few seconds of hanging on.

Slamming into a brick wall would have been annoying enough, but instead of hitting a plain brick wall she sailed back-first through a partially broken window, knocking her head against the edge of the brick wall as an added inconvenience. What was left of the window shattered and sprayed onto the ground, but instead of lying there in specks of blood, Maeren growled and continued to pursue her prey, jumping through the empty window frame and landing in the street.

Of course it was running away. It was like a swift slug, leaving a trail of slime on the pavement as it retreated. She expected it to crawl back into the sewer, but instead it was running into a nearby windowless building, perhaps a warehouse at one time, but soon it was just a battleground. Maeren ran in after her elusive supper, something warm dripping down her back that she ignored. It was too dark even for her eyes to pick up much light, but the creature must have been used to such conditions after dwelling in sewers. She could hear it squirming further into the darkness, and she blindly followed it by its sounds and the trail of slime it left everywhere. Then it just stopped. All indications of where it had gone had vanished; not even the sounds of breathing could be heard. She was reluctant to continue with only the slime-trail to follow, so for a moment she was still, trying to find another indicator of its location.

It found her instead, pulling her legs out from under her with something like tentacles before it fell on top of her, all but crushing her under its weight. She felt its gaping mouth full of teeth from her chest to her lower abdomen, but couldn't do much to prevent those teeth from digging into her flesh with its tentacles wrapped tightly around her legs. However, she did manage to shove her arm into its mouth and grab onto the head inside of it, finding eyesockets and jabbing her claws into them.

That must have been a sensitive spot like she had hoped. It jerked its teeth out of her skin and reared back, tentacles releasing her legs and flailing wildly, and giving her the perfect opportunity to skitter behind it and grab onto the knife still lodged in its back. Maeren gave it no time to recover before brutally stabbing her dinner repeatedly, reaching past its teeth at one point to stab the human head inside its mouth until it finally seemed to perish. Ripping a few gashes through its back with strength mismatched with her size, she fed with her face shoved into the wounds she had created.

Just like always, barely three minutes later Maeren returned to her senses. The pools of blood, the wounds she couldn't remember receiving, the corpse laying nearby... it was a familiar scene.

Though the stench of sewer-gunk was a new addition.

Maeren stood smoothly and took inventory of her wounds while she stepped out into the street and tried to figure out what she should do. Regret and satisfaction were shoved aside. For the moment she peeked into buildings in search of water. That smell really was too putrid to handle. She had never vomited a meal of blood before, but she figured it would not end well.

Summary: Maeren battles the smelly tentacle-mutant and eventually wins, feeding to her heart's content. She's strolling around bleeding and stinky now, and her first priority seems to be a wash instead of seeing to her physical health.

 
The fire Kyle had made crackled brightly, a vast difference than the dreariness outside the building he had found. He reached in with the dented metal arm, stirring the fire a little, making sparks fly out of it. He stared into the flames, thinking back on the last few months of his journey. For years now he had wanted to escape from the confines of the temple, spending day in and day out learning the ways of combat that he would never use. One night, six months ago, there had been a large meeting of the higher authorities of the monks, giving Kyle that prime opportunity to escape. Since then he had wandered the wastelands near Dredlin, conserving all his foods and water as much as he could. Just last night he had found an abandoned building with a few supplies inside it. Joyous, he decided to take a few days to rest from the six month journey.

A crack of glass near him made him freeze, turning his head towards the closed door behind him. He tched and grabbed his staff and cloak, throwing both over his shoulders. The cloak covered most of his body, a necessity Kyle often disliked. Even though he was human, he had been born without pigment in his skin, his red eyes dangerously close to the tales of vampires. It also hid the metallic arm linked to his left shoulder. He despised his arm almost as much as his skin, wrapping it in cloth whenever he found spare. Some loose white-yellow cloth hung from his wrist, tied around it so at least the arm was hidden. As he threw the hood on over his long white hair, he debated, as always, whether or not to use his tall, built, and vampire like body to scare off any intruder. He knew that supplies were low and he could not help more than one, he had often shared his resources with others. This night, however, in the glassed city, he knew food and water would be far and few inbetween. He sighed, opening the door and peering out into the building.

The scene that he looked out on was... insane to say the least. The cracking had been a piece of glass falling from the roof, he saw that plainly. However, when he stepped out near the street, he saw what looked like two people, although one had just sprouted huge wings and then folded them over himself. Kyle stood there in amazement, having never seen something like that. He peered into the night, feeling the two energies near each other. He stopped short, he had never felt these two specific energies before, neither of them felt full human, if at all from the man. He shivered in the wind a bit, pulling the cloak tighter around him. Should I get involved,he asked himself, sensing that one of the two people had a killing aura about them. Before he could move again, the male was going from his vision, and the woman was now seeming to fight for her life against one of the mutants.

Kyle froze for a moment, watching the fight. He couldn't move. He gritted his teeth and willed himself to help, but he had only ever practiced and learned. This was a life or death situation. Before he could make up his mind, the fight was over, and the woman was lying in a large pool of blood. He was again astonished, but once the woman started moving his way he backed into the building, sweating profusely. He gritted his teeth again as she started investigating his building. He gave a sigh and stepped out, "Uh, hello," he said, his voice soft and flowing from the years of study and lessons in language. "Are you hurt, Ma'am," he asked her, not moving from in front of his door. Come to think of it, he thought again, when was the last time I even saw a woman... Kyle placed that particular thought in the back of his mind for later.
 
Renna paced out of the building, companion on his feet ready to leave as well. Renna noticed a park two-wheeler; transportation. She jumped on it and kicked it off it's stick. R0i barked in warning her that now people were coming outside. This was a signal to leave. She started it with a rushed breath. A few men, kin to the one she fought, were throwing bottles and yelling. The lights left a trail of red, R0i, catching up to the speed. She took a quick look over the shoulder, two were chasing her now. Their engines crackled and roared, she was still ahead. Renna noticed a sharp turn up ahead, she revved the motor, leaning in on the turn, she shoulder in inches of touching the sharp concrete. She could hear one crash into the wall behind her. One left to go. R0i leaped up on to a small roof top above her now but still following. He slowed down in almost waiting for the chaser to pick up in speed.

He was now in sight. R0i leaped with a growl, the pounce hit hard. The man went flying off of his ride R0i mauling him, the machine trailed off before crashing into a vehicle. Renna still went on. She huffed looking behind her, not paying attention to the road. "Good R0i.." she thought. Before she could look ahead, a figure of people were standing in her path. She was already in 200k, she grunted trying to turn it the other way, but she fell hard to the ground, the two-wheeler dodging the people by an inch. Renna laied there, back, head, and legs in pain.

"Fuck..." she huffed, she slowly looked up to notice the figures in clear... Two of them obviously mechanical, the other looked normal. She snarled at them huffing in a long pause
"What the..Hell were you doing in the FUCKING ROAD?" she went into a yell brining herself up. She took into a stance. Blinded with a bit of rage at this point.
 
Bathe, check wounds, sleep. In order of importance, Maeren categorized her desires. But what she desired and what she needed were two completely different things. Her mind was taken over with stubborn, excessive fatigue, completely ignoring the blood dripping onto the ground from her skin. How could she be so tired after filling her gut with blood? Both sides should have been satisfied, human and vampire alike, her stomach full of blood and human food. But still, Maeren felt tired enough to curl up on the dirty ground and just sleep for days. After a moment, she finally decided to reorder her desires; sleep came first, now. Falling asleep in the road, though... that would be dangerous, she reminded herself.

To keep danger at bay, she had intended to waltz into a building nearby --which building was which, anyhow? She felt so confused!-- and fall asleep in there, perhaps against a nice wall. However, upon reaching the doorway a man popped out and greeted her.

Any other day, she might have squeaked in surprise. But the exhausted girl only stumbled back a little and then stared up into a pair of very red eyes. All Maeren did at first was slowly tilt her head, too busy staring at the man's red eyes to respond. Finally, though, she wavered back into the world of the awake.

"Oh..." she murmured, eyebrows knitting together. That's right, she had been in a fight to get blood... Come to think of it, she did hurt, but she was too tired to notice it. Like a child fascinated by something new, she observed her limbs and torso carefully, then tried to look over her shoulder at her back. "Oh!..."

On her back were multiple short cuts from glass, some still with glass stuck in them. Compared to the rest of her, though, her back was not so bad. Of the wounds on the rest of her body, the least worrysome were the many shallow scratches from shattered glass here and there. The worst wounds were the ones on her abdomen, by far. Across the top of her chest was a curved line of deep, short lacerations, mirrored on the delicate skin below her navel. She couldn't remember how exactly she had received those, but they were very tender. Her right arm had very similar wounds from her hand to the middle of her upper-arm, but instead of neat lacerations they were messy rips. Beneath her tangled hair on the back of her head, there was a large bump topped off with a bleeding scrape; she felt it with her fingers, grimaced, and wondered if that was why she was so sleepy. Blood soaked her skin and ripped dress, and it seemed that she was more upset over the loss of her only garment than her loss of blood.

"Hmm..." she looked back up at the red-eyed man, too tired to say much more. She waddled forward, meaning to push past him so she could enter the building and fall asleep. "Blood everywhere, suppose I am hurt. It hurts, but... I wanna sleep. I'm going to sleep here, okay, I'll be quiet..."

Maeren stopped moving forward and yawned loudly, tossing her head back and showing her tiny fangs. So sleepy...

Again, she stared into the strange red eyes. Then she just shrugged delicately and sat down where she was, right outside the doorway. Blood was smeared all around the road at this point, collecting in small puddles wherever she stopped. She scooted close to a wall and cuddled up to it as if it wasn't rough brick.

Her eyes stayed open for a few seconds more just to keep staring at the red-eyed man. "I'll just sleep here, then. Sorry I stink. I think... I may have eaten a sewer-te-...tentacle-monster..."

And then her eyes shut, but she didn't seem to want to stop muttering. "Ow... It hurts to lay down... annoying..."

Summary: Maeren wanders to Kyle's building, getting increasingly weaker and much sleepier due mainly to loss of blod, full stomach, and a huge bump on her head. She rambles a little and eventually lays down outside and tries to sleep.

((I can relate; sorry for mistakes, I took a few allergy pills that are knocking me out...))
 
Kyle's eyes strained in the growing darkness, the only light was from the barely opened door which his fire was behind. He caught the glimpse of the blood dripping off the woman, knowing that she must be injured. As she spoke, Kyle could only watch. As she drew nearer to him, he reached out to her finally, "Hey, hold on a second let me help you," he began, going to help the woman move. As she yawned, though, he saw the fangs of the woman. He froze again, mistaking the yawn for her trying to bite him! Fortunately, the woman merely moved past him and slid against the wall. A vampire, he said to himself, watching the woman mumble and her eyes fluttering in her dreariness. He gritted his own teeth, moving to the weak woman, "Let me help you," he said, going to lift her up like a hcild and take her into his room.

If the woman had not struggled or any such thing, Kyle would set her by the fire and go about tending her wounds. He stripped off his cloak and tossed it to the floor. He stood there over the half-vampire like a ghost, his pure white skin glowing in the firelight. He wore mostly the same garb as that of a monk, although throughout the months he had been away he had replaced the loose fitting white Gi top with a form fitting black tank top, a contrast to his shoulders, arms, and face. The shoulder of the metal arm, now revealed, was scarred and gritty from the many surgeries he had endured to replace his arm every few years.

He knelt down next to the woman, unwrapping the cloth from his metal arm and laying the strip down next to the woman. He moved then over to the supplies he had found earlier, a raggedy curtain among the group. I had hoped to use this as a blanket, but... Kyle looked to the badly wounded vampire, sighing. He was probably to good natured to survive in this world. He pressed a small button on his palm, blades appearing on each of his fingers, tiny but effective. He tore the curtain into strips, laying each down next to the woman. Now the hard part. He examined the hopefully still knocked out vampire closely, making notes of the wounds she carried. He looked at the small bottle of anti-septic he had stolen from the monks, grimacing at the amount. He used the last of the medicine to soak certain parts of the strips, planning out the procedure.

Hopefully the woman was still knocked out after the thirty minutes it took him to prepare. He sighed, starting to try and remove the woman's top section of clothes, picking out glass from the wounds on her back. He quickly started to wrap these wounds with the cloths, having not sutures or the like and not even knowing what to do if he had them. He wrapped the antiseptic parts of the bandages directly on the wounds, then working upwards to wrap the rest tightly. He sat back, hopeful that it would do the job. Finally, he leaned in and touched the woman's face with his cool metal fingers, "Hey, you gotta wake up," he told the form, his red eyes staring where the woman's eyes would be, "Sleeping with a concussion is dangerous, you need to wake up."
 
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